The Rambam is clear: the World to Come has no bodies, no eating, no drinking, no sleep. Only the souls of the righteous in pure intellectual existence.
Question 2
Why does the Torah focus on physical rewards (rain, prosperity) rather than the World to Come?
The Rambam explains: physical rewards are instrumental. They enable Torah study and mitzvot, which lead to the World to Come. The physical world serves the spiritual journey.
Question 3
What is the ultimate punishment according to this chapter?
The greatest punishment is karet — the soul is cut off and does not achieve the World to Come. The Rambam says there is no greater retribution than being excluded from this good.
Question 4
Does the World to Come exist now or only in the future?
The Rambam clarifies: "world to come" describes our relationship to it — we haven't arrived yet. But it exists right now. Righteous souls are already there.
Question 5
What does the Rambam say about our ability to describe the World to Come?
The Rambam famously quotes: "No eye has seen it — only God knows." We cannot describe this reward because our entire conceptual framework is rooted in physical experience.